The UFC Needs Conor McGregor to Win at UFC 329

When Conor McGregor last competed in the UFC, things were very different. At UFC 264, The Notorious suffered one of the worst injuries we've seen in the UFC and since he's been gone, we as MMA and UFC fans have lost something.

The biggest star the sport has ever seen has been absent and we've felt that absense. The UFC has finally booked his return and secretly, they'll be hoping that he gets the win over Max Holloway.

The Return of Conor McGregor at UFC 329

Missing Megastar

Since McGregor's UFC 264 absense, there has certainly been a lack of megastars within the industry. Although some names have come to fruition, no one has quite stood out like McGregor and the interest in the product shows that.

Ilia Topuria and Alex Pereira attempted to take the mantle of McGregor on and, although they are both must-watch fighters, there is certainly a gap in the interest.

Ilia Topuria

Fighting on the same card that McGregor faced Dustin Poirier for the third time, Topuria picked up a big knockout, ending any hype that BJJ wizz, Ryan Hall had. He would go on to fight a further seven times, going 6-1 and capturing two titles, going on one of the greatest winning runs in UFC history and headlined the biggest card in UFC history, all before McGregor returned.

The issue with Topuria was that everyone compared him the Conor McGregor. Rightfully so. He has similar tattoos to McGregor, competes in the same two weight categories that McGregor made his name in and speaks with a similar confidence.

Some of Topuria's aura has, without a doubt, been reduced after his one-sided loss at the hands of Justin Gaethje. Not only did he lose, he was completely out-skilled, battered and, if some are to be believed, he quit.

Alex Pereira

Since McGregor's last fight, Poatan, Alex Pereira made his UFC debut, dominated the middleweight division, won the belt, lost it, moved up in weight, won the belt at 205lbs, lost it and won it back again, headlined eight PPVs and moved up to heavyweight in an attempt to become a three weight world champion, albeit in a losing effort.

There's no doubt that Pereira is a megastar. He headlined UFC 300 and competed in the co-main event at UFC Freedom 250. With that being said, he lost last time out at UFC Freedom 250. He's 38, coming off a one-sided finish loss at the hands of Ciryl Gane. Some of the star power has certainly left Alex Pereira's aura and it's understandable why.

Paddy Pimblett

There's a reason that Paddy Pimblett is on the same card as Conor McGregor. An all European clash further down the line makes a lot of sense. England vs Ireland, two brash talkers, two competing styles and two fan favourites going at it in the octagon. It's a fight that makes fans salivate as each man has a clear path to victory and it's simply a case of who can implement their game more effectively.

Realisitcally, McGregor is never going to be a UFC champion again. Pimblett has a small opportunity to become a world champion in the UFC, however, in his lone opportunity, he was vastly out-gunned and largely outfought. At lightweight, there are too many high level competitors for Pimblett to threaten a title run. If, and it's a big if, he can get through Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329 in the co-main event, he'll position himself nicley in the title picture.

With that being said, there could be an even better offer, financially, on the table, regardless of the outcome of the main event. If McGregor wins, he'll need another win to carry the momentum into 2027. If he loses, Pimblett makes a lot of sense. Highly ranked, trash talker and the allure of being the first one to knock Pimblett out could be just what motivates McGregor.

Whatever happens, there's nothing like a Conor McGregor fight week and finally, at UFC 329, we have one after years of waiting.